Cold war in the Middle East: soviet interests in the middle east and the american effect

As a geographically and geo-strategically important oil-rich region, the Middle East witnessed the interest clashes of the great powers from the early times. The Soviet Union and the United States kept their everlasting rivalry going in the Middle East during the Cold War. The Soviet, as a continuation of its centuries old interests, maintained its influence in the Middle East, while endeavouring the containment policy of United States as the most powerful rival in this regard. Both superpowers, engaged in various alliances and wars, directly or indirectly, within the framework of such concepts as ideology, arms sales, energy politics and open market. Most of the alliances in the region were formed on the basis of military and economic assistance and political support. While the Soviet Union preserved its sphere of influence by means of anti-capitalism and Arab nationalism in the region, the United States took its part as the sole guarantor of the State of Israel and an ally of oil rich pro-Western dictatorships. In this regard, the Arab-Israel wars laid the basis for this superpower interest conflicts. As a result of the political polarization, the Soviet Union supported the Arabs, and the United States remains on the side of Israel, in order to preserve and expand their influence in the region. Cold War rivalry in the Middle East came to an end with partial peace between the Arabs and Israel, witnessing the United States as the winner of the rivalry, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Rising from its ashes, the newly established Russian Federation, after a short period of stagnation, continued its old interests with new perspectives to become an influential power within the region and in the world, however this time facing a more proponent United States. Key Words: Cold War, USSR, USA, Middle East, power balance, bipolar world order, Arab-Israel conflict, oil reserves, arms sales